Mariya Tollbridge
Mariya Tollbridge (nee North) was the nanny of Lord Dalinar Mallister's children at Seagard. Appearance and Character Even though she is well past thirty, Mariya remains an attractive woman, tall and lean, though not particularly curvy. She has high cheekbones, though her face has rounded somewhat with age. Her blonde hair is somewhere between the brown of her mothers and the very fair complexion that her father’s side of the family was known for having. There is yet any sign of wrinkles around her kind blue gray eyes. Mariya is a kind woman, always with a smile ready for the Mallister children, though she is somewhat guarded about her own past before she became the nanny for Lord Danilar’s children, speaking readily of the love she bore for her late husband, emphasising the need to cherish the memories of those lost. Childhood and Family Born Mariya North, youngest daughter of Ser Cedric North, Mariya’s life would turn upside down at the age of six during the Greyjoy Rebellion, as her other family was ripped away, father and older brothers fell to Ironborn Reavers of House Blacktyde in a raid where also her older sister, Roslin, was presumably taken to the Iron Islands, never to be seen again and no news of her fate has ever since reached Seagard. She had two uncles and a cousin surviving as the Norths retreated with their men on Lord Mallister’s orders, all three perished as their ship was lost at sea to join up with Ser Barristan’s forces attacking Old Wyk. At five and ten, Mariya was married to Ser Bradyn Tollbridge, a gifted knight in Lord Jason’s service. Their marriage was hastened as Seagard prepared to join it’s strength to the host of Lord Robb Stark and Ser Bradyn suggested that gods may not grant them the chance to be together for longer than the few weeks before he had to ride away at his lord’s side. Words that turned out to be only too true. In Service to House Mallister Mariya became Lord Danilar Mallister's nanny (for the Mallister children) after Edmure was born (302 AC). Her husband died at the Siege of Riverrun (300 AC) leading the House Mallister forces. Lord Jason Mallister knew and favored her husband well. Shortly after the Siege of Riverrun, Mariya approached Lord Jason saying she needed help supporting herself without the support of her husband. Lord Jason Mallister appointed her to become the nanny for Dalinar's children, who at the time had one son, Henry, and Wen was pregnant with Edmure. Over the years, she has become a good friend of Wen's and routinely (and openly, except in front of the Mallister children) flirts with Ser Colin North, which causes Wen to laugh and continuously tease Colin about. Colin has maintained a "nothing but friends" relationship with Mariya. She has grown fond of Colin due to the knight's bedtimes stories and attention given to the children. Since the death of Ser Bradyn, Mariya has not remarried. She is also childless.